The Super Bowl has become something of a national pig-out day. For many food and drink—and lots of them—share center stage with the game and the highly anticipated TV commercials. Of course, there's a price to pay if you overindulge on the noshing on Sunday. To keep the damage to a minimum, try this food game plan.
Set an eating schedule. Eat a light breakfast and lunch to offset the snacks during game time. Drink plenty of water and go for a walk or do some sort of exercise because by the 6:30 p.m. EST, you’re likely to be sitting down in front of the TV. (Find the best big TV for the big game.) If you are hosting, plan to eat during the first half and then slow down by halftime. Also, set out smaller serving plates, which could help with overeating.
Lighten up fan favorites. Instead of nachos and cheese, satisfy a Mexican craving with chili with lean beef or turkey, lots of beans and vegetables. Serve plenty of carrots and celery with your wings and try this lighter blue cheese dip to save some fat: Whisk ½ cup light mayonnaise, ¼ cup reduced fat sour cream, and ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese, 1 tablespoon each apple-cider vinegar and chopped chives and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
In our preference tests, people couldn’t tell the difference between onion dip made with full fat or reduced fat sour cream. Try this recipe for a tasty edamame dip, which has 50 calories and about 3 grams of fat per 2-tablespoon serving. You will need:
8-ounce package shelled,
ready to eat edamame (about 1½ cups)
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
1 avocado, peeled, chopped
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
Directions: Put the edamame in a food processor and pulse several times. Add cilantro and pulse again. Add remaining
ingredients and process the mixture until smooth. Serve with chips or cut-up vegetables.
Put dessert on a stick. Making something that is easy to grab and go is important. Try fruit kabobs (cantaloupe, banana, kiwi, and strawberry) for dessert; they're more fun than a plain fruit bowl.
Check our other Super Bowl full coverage.
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